Paris

First edition, one of 126 numbered copies on alfa, complete with the original signed etching by Brassaï, , the tirage de tête.
Autograph inscription by Brassaï.
Additionally, this copy is further enriched with three leaves on which Brassaï has recorded some thoughts in holorhyme: "Epopée rimée des peaux périmées / Les chameaux volés tuent les chats mauves aux laitues / L'émule d'Epicure opère au quai Malaquais, les mules des piqûres aux perroquets mal laqués..."
Introduction by Henry Miller.
A very good copy with exceptional additions. 

First edition, for which there is no mention of large paper copies.
Contemporary Bradel binding in half khaki cloth over marbled paper boards, the spine with gilt floral motif, a double gilt fillet at foot of spine, red shagreen title label (small marginal scratches), one lower corner rubbed.
A rare and precious autograph inscription from Alphonse Allais to his publisher Paul Ollendorff : "... le seul éditeur vraiment digne de ce nom, hommage d'un auteur qui n'est pas non plus dans une potiche [the only publisher really worthy of that name, homage from an author who is also not on a sinecure".
Provenance : library of Paul Ollendorff. 

Seventh edition, first for some parts, as corrected and reviewed.
Contemporary half black shagreen over black paper boards, spine in five compartments with slender bands and double blindruled compartments, marbled pastedowns and endpapers.
Rare autograph inscription signed and dated by Alfred de Vigny to abbé Huc, who was one of the great missionaries to China and for whom Alfred de Vigny bore a great admiration: " témoignage de vénération et d'attachement / Alfred de Vigny [testimony of [my] veneration and attachment / Alfred de Vigny]."
A little light foxing.

First edition, one of 20 numbered copies on Hollande, the only large paper copies.
Elegant red morocco binding by Semet & Plumelle, spine in five compartments, date at foot, gilt roulettes to head- and tail-pieces, red moiré silk pastedowns, marbled endpapers thereafter, gilt fillets to edges of covers, covers and spine (slightly soiled) preserved, top edge gilt; slipcase edged in the same morocco, the boards of the same marbled paper, lined with light brown felt.
This copy is enriched with two autograph notes from the author.
A very good, well-margined copy, superbly bound in an outstanding lined binding by Semet & Plumelle. 

First edition, for which no deluxe paper copies were issued.

A pleasant copy.

Valuable signed autograph inscription from Susan Sontag to her friend Sonia Rykiel: "pour Sonia avec mes amitiés Susan Sontag 26 septembre 1995 Paris."

First edition, one of 16 numbered copies on pur fil paper, the deluxe issue.
A very good copy despite a tiny stain on the upper cover beneath the printed title.

First edition, one of 100 numbered copies on vellum.

A small chip at the foot of the spine, a few foxing marks to the endpapers, otherwise a pleasant copy.

First edition, one of 35 numbered copies on vélin Rivoli, the only deluxe paper issue.

A very fine copy.

New edition.

A pleasing copy.

Rare signed autograph inscription from Philippe Muray to a close acquaintance named Benoît.

First edition, one of 100 hors commerce copies printed on deluxe paper, this copy specially printed for Louis Barthou.

A pleasant copy despite two sunning marks to the head and foot of the spine and to the margins of the rear board.

Henri Bergson's handwritten signature beneath the limitation statement.

Uncommon first edition, issued anonymously: as early as 1817 the second edition bears the author's name (cf. Davois III, 117. Tulard 1194.)

Contemporary half blond sheepskin binding, smooth spine decorated with gilt fillets and fleurons, joints split and repaired, blue paper-covered boards with a few scuffs, marbled endpapers and pastedowns, speckled edges.

An interesting account of the Russian campaign, which the author, the Vicomte de Puybusque or Puibusque (1792-1841), experienced as a military intendant: it abounds in little-known details concerning the Grande Armée and the Imperial Guard.

Bound at the end is Thomas Lindley’s: "Voyage au Brésil ; où l'on trouve la description du pays, de ses productions, de ses habitans, et de la ville et des provinces de San-Salvadore et Porto-Seguro. Avec une table correcte des latitudes et longitudes des ports de la côte du Brésil, ainsi qu'un tableau de change, etc. Traduit de l'anglais par François Soulès" published in Paris by Léopold Collin in 1806 (xiv-216 pp. Borba de Moraes I, 485. Rodrigues 416)

Rare first edition of the French translation.

The English merchant Thomas Lindley chartered a cargo vessel and travelled to Brazil to sell his own goods, but was arrested and convicted of smuggling.

He spent a year in Brazilian prisons.

Third edition, one of 200 numbered copies on handmade wove paper, the only large-paper issue. 

Bound in red half-shagreen, spine with five raised bands framed by gilt dotted fillets and gilt double fillets, marbled paper boards, sprinkled top edge, pastedowns and endpapers in marbled paper, original front wrapper preserved, lower edge and fore-edge uncut.

Corners with light wear.

Illustrated.

An attractive copy.

Provenance: Paul Verneyras, who joined the French Resistance in 1940 and became an active member of the Libération-Nord movement, later serving as an MRP municipal councillor for the 6th arrondissement sector of Paris from 1945 to 1947.

First edition, one of the numbered copies on alfa paper reserved for the press.

One joint slightly pinched along its length, otherwise a pleasant copy.

Autograph inscription signed by Colette to Michel Corday.

First edition issued as offprint no. 13 for the year 1849 from the "Journal Asiatique".

Not recorded by Lorenz.

Our copy is preserved in the original plain blue wrappers, title pencilled on the upper cover.

Some foxing.

First edition, one of 21 numbered copies on Hollande paper, the tirage de tête.
A fine copy. 

First edition on ordinary paper.
A vertical shadow along the entire length of the lower cover, otherwise a very good copy.
Illustrated wrapper with a drawing by Claude Cahun.
Precious signed autograph inscription from the author Georges Ribemont-Dessaignes to André Breton: "... au grand chanteur / à la sirène / au ........ hélas".

Second edition, issued in the same year as the first, and illustrated with a folding colour map at the beginning of the first volume (cf. Cordier, Sinica, 2120; Caillet, 5293; Numa Broc, Asie, 247-249).

Tears to one joint of the first volume; spine of the second volume split with minor losses; a tear without loss to p. 407 of vol. II.

A valuable copy, bearing the signature "G. Rocquemaurel" on the title-pages.

This is Louis François Gaston Marie Auguste de Rocquemaurel (Toulouse, 1804–1878), a former student of the École polytechnique, second-in-command to Dumont d'Urville as lieutenant aboard the Astrolabe during the voyage to the South Pole and Oceania (1837–1840).

Promoted captain in 1848, he was posted from 1850 to 1854 to the French naval station in Indochina.

Second edition, revised, corrected and enlarged, illustrated with 145 figures in the text (cf. Wellcome II, 457).

Spine and covers browned, with minor marginal losses; a few light foxing spots.

The first edition was published in 1847; this work constitutes only the second systematic treatise in French devoted to the subject, following that of Carron du Villards.

A former assistant to Sichel, Louis-Auguste Desmarres (1810-1882) was among the foremost ophthalmic surgeons of the nineteenth century.

First edition, one of the press review copies.

Precious signed autograph inscription by Eugène Guillevic: "à Tristan Tzara, ces trente et un sonnets qu'il n'aime pas, avec espoir quand-même et affection. Guillevic."

First edition, illustrated with figures in the text (cf. Hage Chahine, 4405.)

Contemporary bradel binding in full beige percaline, smooth spine darkened, olive green shagreen lettering-piece, binding of the period.

Occasional foxing.

The sole edition of one of the earliest works by the numismatist Gustave-Léon Schlumberger (1844-1929), who specialised in the history of the Crusades and the Byzantine Empire.

Autograph inscription signed by Gustave-Léon Schlumberger to the archaeologist Alban-Emmanuel Guillaume-Rey (1837-1916), a specialist of medieval Syria.

Illustrated edition with 150 drawings by Riou.

Publisher's catalogue by FN bound in at the rear.

Hetzel publisher's binding "aux deux éléphants" type 3, full red percaline binding signed A. Lenègre, rear board type "e" as identified by Jauzac, original blue endpapers, all edges gilt. Manuscript inscription on the title page, upper right.

Spine lightly faded as is common, headbands slightly collapsed and very lightly split at the extremities, lower corners restored.

Scattered foxing.

The Adventures of Captain Hatteras is an adventure novel recounting an expedition to the North Pole, exploring such themes as the ethnographic study of Hyperborean peoples (the Eskimos) and the harsh struggle for survival in an extreme environment.

First edition of a play regarded as historically significant, performed for the first time nineteen days before the execution of Louis XVI, which set all of Paris and then France ablaze to the point of interrupting the King's trial, by a constitutional monarchist playwright.

Nineteenth-century Bradel binding in half brown percaline, smooth spine decorated with a gilt fleuron, red morocco lettering-piece, pebble-pattern marbled paper boards, edges lightly red-speckled.

Corners bumped.

Discreet scattered foxing. 

Minor printing flaw on p. 7.

First edition, at one time attributed to Bernard Le Bouyer de Fontenelle, on the loves of a shepherd of illustrious lineage: Mirtil, son of Venus and Adonis. Complete copy with its engraved title page by Louis Legrand and its six plates drawn by Hubert François Gravelot and engraved by Louis Legrand.

Half marbled calf binding, spine with five raised bands decorated with dotted gilt fillets, five compartments richly gilt with fillets and fleurons, pebble-pattern marbled paper boards, red edges, pastedowns and endpapers also in pebble-pattern marbled paper, pastiche binding in fine condition.

A few discreet marginal dampstains.

First edition, one of 65 copies on Arches; our copy is unnumbered but correctly justified "vergé d’Arches" at the foot of the lower cover. One of the only deluxe papers issued.

Two slight sunning marks at head and foot of the spine, which is also lightly pinched at the foot.

A pleasing copy.

First French edition, one of 25 numbered copies on Hollande paper, deluxe issue.

This second volume of La comédie américaine was first published in English as The Ski Bum.
Fine copy.

First edition, one of 500 copies, dated 1867 on the wrapper.

3/4 brown morocco binding, spine with four raised bands framed in gilt and decorated with double gilt compartments adorned with small gilt tools at the corners and a large central floral tool at centre, marbled endpapers and pastedowns, original wrappers preserved with two minor restorations to the upper cover, gilt top edge, elegant binding signed by Bernasconi. A few minor foxing spots, slightly more pronounced on the first leaves.

Rare and precious autograph presentation inscription signed by Paul Verlaine to Emile Piau.

First edition, containing 23 tales by Andersen translated by David Soldi, together with a biographical essay by Xavier Marmier.

Illustrated with 40 vignettes by Bertall, engraved by Jacques G. J. Midderich and Alphonse Minne.

Full blue cloth binding, flat spine, gilt-stamped title, faint rubbing to the joints, light scattered marks to the boards, contemporary binding.

A very rare copy of this collection of Andersen's tales, "the first translation of Andersen's tales into French directly from the Danish, which long remained the finest [...]. This translation achieved wide circulation and continues to be published to this day" (Poul Høybye, H.C. Andersen og Frankrig). 

First edition on ordinary paper, with the false statement of “third edition,” complete with the errata bifolium.
Discreet repairs to the spine; a handsome copy as issued.
With a desirable signed presentation from Marcel Proust to the playwright Jacques Darval: “à Monsieur Jacques Darval / Hommage reconnaissant / Marcel Proust.” ["To Monsieur Jacques Darval / With grateful homage / Marcel Proust.”]
Darval, born Louis Valeton, authored several plays and numerous dance revues during the 1920s.

First edition, one of the 81 numbered copies on Holland paper, the only deluxe issue.

A handsome copy.

First public edition of this text by Jean Guéhenno, written under the pseudonym Cévennes, one of 60 numbered copies on Madagascar paper, from the deluxe issue.

A fine copy.

First edition of this pioneering work in the history of psychiatry (cf. Garrison & Morton 4920; Semelaigne I, pp. 68-73; Waller records only the 1770 German translation; Wellcome III 547; Blake 277).

Contemporary half calf with vellum-tipped corners, smooth spines gilt with decorative rolls, some rubbing and small wormholes to the spines, marbled paper boards, sprinkled edges; bindings from the early nineteenth century.

Ink stains on pp. 72–76 of the first volume, a black ink spot at the head of the lower cover of the second volume, a few minor and unobtrusive foxmarks.

For Lorry, not all melancholic patients are driven by a single fixed idea, and melancholy is a state of mental disorder of physical origin, in which the mind—sharply disturbed by objects either external or produced by the imagination—becomes unable to resist, repel, or reason through the ideas arising from them. He identifies two forms of the condition, according to whether its origin lies in the solid parts or in the humours, which he terms nervous melancholy and humoral melancholy respectively.

"La mélancolie nerveuse peut parfois constituer l'hystérie chez la femme, l'hypochondrie chez l'homme ; ou bien c'est la manie vraie, ou encore, sans le moindre symptôme maniaque, elle consiste uniquement en convulsions. Il semble y avoir peu de différences entre la mélancolie et la manie, mais le mélancolique délire surtout sur ce qui le concerne en particulier, tandis que le délire maniaque s'étend à tous les sujets". Cf. Semelaigne.

Lorry (1726–1783) may also be regarded as the founder of dermatology in France (Tractatus de morbis cutaneis, Paris, G. Cavelier, 1777).

A pleasant copy, with generous margins.

New quarto edition, revised and corrected by the author, with numerous decorated headpieces, initials and tailpieces.

Full brown calf, spine in six compartments with five raised bands richly gilt-tooled, red morocco lettering-piece, triple blind fillet border to boards, double gilt fillet to board edges, red edges, marbled pastedowns and endpapers.

Light scratches and scuffing to boards, corners slightly bumped, otherwise a very fine copy.

Paper flaw causing marginal tears on pp. 49, 571 and 595, light scattered foxing affecting a few gatherings towards the end of the volume, minor wormhole to lower corner of pp. 253 onwards, ending in a charming emoji.

First edition describing the 388 items offered in the sale.

A few pencilled hammer prices in the margins, a loss to the upper right corner of the front wrapper and title-page, and small corner losses to the wrappers.

The introduction is by Fröhner, though the expert in charge of the sale was Hoffmann.

Of Baden origin, the numismatist Ludwig Wilhelm Fröhner (1834–1925) settled in Paris in 1859; he became a close friend of Napoleon III and assisted him in the preparation of his Histoire de Jules César (1865–1866), which helped him obtain both French naturalisation (1866) and an important post at the Louvre.

He later devoted himself to the cataloguing of collections, producing works that became major references for Antiquity and early medieval archaeology.

Rare first edition (cf. Tailliart 1697, Playfair 554, Polak 5050).

Spine clumsily restored with small losses, slight marginal tears to the covers, a few scattered foxmarks.

The crew of the "Béarnaise," consisting of about thirty men, seized the citadel of Bone without firing a single shot.

First edition, taken from the Mémoires de la Société royale et centrale d'agriculture, for the year 1824.

Illustrated with a folding plate inserted out of text.

Our copy is preserved in its original state, sewn and issued in a plain blue provisional wrapper.

Scattered light foxing.

A grandson of the founder and first director of the Académie royale de marine, Pierre-Marie-Sébastien Bigot de Morogues (1776-1840) devoted himself principally to agricultural matters.

First edition of the French translation (cf. Sabin, 43416; Smith, Pacific Northwest Americana, 6381; Pilling, Bibl. of the Algonquian Languages, 327; Hoefer, XXXII, 566-567).

Illustrated with a portrait of the author after Sir Thomas Lawrence as frontispiece to the first volume and, at the end of each volume, three engraved maps showing the route from Fort Chipewyan to the Arctic Sea in 1789 and to the Pacific Ocean in 1793, together with the portion of North America lying between the 40th and 70th degrees north latitude and the 45th and 180th degrees west longitude.

Handsome half red shagreen bindings, flat spines ruled in gilt with quintuple fillets, traces of former labels at the head of each spine, minor rubbing to joints, red boards, marbled endpapers and pastedowns; mid-19th-century bindings.

Repair to the half-title of volume I.

A pleasing copy of this major exploration narrative.

First edition, illustrated at the end of the volume with three folding maps (cf. Tailliart 3080; Playfair 4334).

The original colour map, frequently lacking, has here been supplied in photomechanical reproduction, while the two others are later insertions.

Full brick-coloured sheep binding, unlettered spine with five raised bands showing traces of rubbing, comb-marbled endpapers and pastedowns, original wrappers preserved; modern binding.

Minor foxing, pencil annotations on the initial endpapers and in the margins of several passages, with a handwritten note in blue ink "états de service" at the head of the front endpaper, followed by a brief pencilled biography of the author.

Only edition, highly sought after, of this exceptionally well-documented study, addressing a subject that preoccupied the French administration in Algeria (which, by an inaccurate analogy with Catholic religious "orders"—then targeted in mainland France—sought to curb the influence of Muslim brotherhoods).

Louis Rinn (1838–1905) spent almost his entire military career in Algeria, where he lived from 1864 to 1889.

First edition, one of 15 numbered copies on vellum, the only deluxe issue.

Fine and uncommon copy.

Seventh edition, expanded with new annotations and an appendix containing descriptive and historical details on all the monuments recently erected in the capital by J.-L. Belin, avocat.

Bound in contemporary half midnight-blue Russian morocco, flat spines gilt with romantic arabesques, gilt fillet framing the marbled-paper boards, marbled endpapers and pastedowns; one lower corner lightly rubbed, contemporary bindings.

Scattered foxing.

Illustrated with 58 plates (including 11 archaeological plates), together with 5 folding colour plans hors texte.

A handsomely preserved copy in a period romantic binding.

First edition of the French translation prepared by F. Soulès of "An account on the present state of Nova Scotia", originally published in 1786.

Our copy is offered unbound.

Pages 31 to 39 are devoted to fishing practices.

First French edition, translated from the third English edition (Sabin, 30036.).

Each volume features a steel-engraved frontispiece.

Covers soiled, front boards detached, minor losses and tears to board margins, some foxing, cracked spines with losses; our copy in wrappers is housed in a modern brown full-cloth slipcase.

The second volume also includes a section on "Passage to Montreal and Quebec" (pp. 317-342) and "The Character of the Canadians" (pp. 331-332, 339-342).

Manuscript ex-libris signed Delecey de Mécourt on the front covers.

Rare first edition (see Cordier, Japonica 583; Nipponalia I, 2073. Neither of these bibliographies mentions the map. Polak 8448).

Contemporary half cherry-red calf, spine slightly faded, with four raised bands gilt with dotted tools and fillets; light rubbing to the spine, red paper-covered boards, corners slightly bumped, speckled edges.

Occasional light foxing; a pale dampstain affecting the opening leaves and the folding double-page map showing the plan of the Strait of Shimonoseki.

This work relates the Anglo-French naval campaign of 1862–1863, by Alfred Roussin (1839–1919), a naval officer who commanded the frigate Sémiramis.

The text offers detailed descriptions of trade and the political situation in Japan, as well as of the political relations between the French, the British, and the Japanese during the years 1853–1865.

First edition, published anonymously by Delaporte,  secretary and prompter of the Comédie-Française.

Contemporary black cloth Bradel binding, smooth spine, red shagreen lettering-piece with some loss, marbled paper boards, upper corners slightly worn, 19th-century binding.

Copies recorded only at the BnF and in Rouen (CCFr).

Printed initials at the foot of the title page.

Rare summary, by the Comédie-Française secretary and prompter, of the grievances held by the Company against the actor Talma, focusing particularly on performances of Marie-Joseph Chénier’s play Charles IX.

The play, which achieved immense public success, drew criticism from the Gallican Church, leading to its ban after the 33rd performance.

On July 21, 1790, the play was performed again in defiance of the ban. The Comédie-Française troupe then split between the "revolutionaries" and the other shareholders, who refused to perform with Talma.

Autograph letter, dated and signed, addressed to the writer Christiane Baroche: 21 lines in blue ink concerning an issue of the journal Sud devoted to him.

Folding traces from mailing, with the original handwritten envelope, on which Christiane Baroche noted the sender’s name in pencil.

Michel Leiris thanks Christiane Baroche for the tribute paid to him by Sud : "Soyez sûre que je préfère de beaucoup quelque chose de ce genre à un ensemble de doctes analyses ! " but explains that he will not be able to attend the upcoming event dedicated to him: "Dites, je vous prie, à Mr Genêt que je lui sais gré d'avoir pensé à une "journée Leiris", mais qu'il ne doit malheureusement pas compter sur ma présence : j'en serai, d'une part, empêché matériellement... et, d'autre part, cette participation personnelle m'embarrasseerait beaucoup, je vous l'avoue franchement."

Leiris concludes by extending his best wishes to his correspondent and to the Sud team for the year ahead.

First edition, one of 50 numbered copies on Marais Crèvecoeur paper, issued as part of the publisher’s deluxe limitation.

Spine and boards faintly sunned and toned as usual, with a small spot to the lower outer corner of the front board.

As stated in the limitation, this copy includes its original etching by Jacques Villon, signed in the plate.

First edition, illustrated with an original etching as frontispiece and four hors-texte drawings by Henri Laurens, one of 324 numbered copies on Vélin du Marais.

Title page lightly toned, otherwise a pleasing copy.

Signed in pencil by Tristan Tzara and Henri Laurens beneath the limitation statement.

First edition of the catalogue published for the exhibition of works by Max Ernst, held from 15 November to the end of December 1961.

A fine copy.

Illustrated, with a foreword by Alain Bosquet.

Signed autograph inscription by Max Ernst to Madame de Harting.

First edition of the French translation, one of 26 lettered copies on Lana wove rag paper, issued as part of the tête-de-tirage.

A fine copy.

Rare first edition of this project, whose development was certainly collective (with contributions from several democrats, including Frédéric Charrassin, Charles Fauvety, Adolphe Louis Chouippe, and Alexandre Erdan), but which was authored by the neo-criticist philosopher Charles Renouvier (1815–1903).

Bound in contemporary half cherry-colored sheepskin, with a smooth spine adorned with gilt fillets; some rubbing to the spine and boards. Marbled paper over boards, handmade laid paper endpapers and pastedowns, modern bookplate affixed to the front pastedown, slightly bumped corners, minor tears to the joints, speckled edges. Original binding.

Minor, insignificant foxing.

The central idea of this work is that of direct government and direct legislation, inspired by the debate initiated by Rittinghausen.

At the time, this idea was considered utopian and dangerous—much like in contemporary debates—on the grounds that it would discredit the representative system and, contrary to the authors’ intentions, play into the hands of the emerging Caesarism (this was 1851...).

The book also presents other proposals for institutional reform, notably the adoption of the canton as the basic administrative and political unit of the nation, intended to form the true French commune.

Provenance: from the library of Georges and Geneviève Dubois, with their bookplate affixed to the front pastedown.